Clearwater landed the No. 9 spot on a national ranking of the best U.S. cities for snowbirds for the 2026–2027 winter season.
The study, published by storage facility search site StorageCafe, analyzed 472 cities across 14 categories including climate, safety, housing costs, healthcare access, walkability and beach proximity. Six Florida cities finished in the top 10. Winter Haven took No. 1, and Lakeland finished second.
Clearwater's draw, according to the report, starts at the shoreline. StorageCafe cited more than 20 miles of area beaches, the white-sand stretch at Clearwater Beach and the nightly sunset scene at Pier 60 as standout features. The city's average temperature from October through March sits at 67 degrees, and nine golf courses serve the area.
Housing availability also factored in. The report found that 57% of vacant housing units in Clearwater are classified as seasonal and recreational, giving visiting residents a sizable pool of winter rentals. Other top-ranked Florida cities posted similar shares: Vero Beach at 65% and Hollywood at 60%.
StorageCafe also pointed to Clearwater's position inside the larger Tampa Bay metro. St. Petersburg and Tampa put museums, professional sports and airport connections within easy reach, the report noted.
The full top 10, as first reported by the Palm Beach Post:
- Winter Haven
- Lakeland
- McAllen, Texas
- Mission, Texas
- Vero Beach
- Hollywood
- Brownsville, Texas
- Harlingen, Texas
- Clearwater
- Lake Wales
Florida and Texas together accounted for 88 of the top 100 cities nationally.
StorageCafe estimated the potential snowbird pool at more than 40 million people, counting retirees and remote workers across colder northern states whose schedules give them the flexibility to relocate for the winter months.
Upcoming community events:
- Clearwater Greek Festival, Oct. 19, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 409 S. Old Coachman Road
- Clearwater Threshers Boo Bash, Oct. 31, BayCare Ballpark (free admission)
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